Car-step.



w. J. OLIVER.

GAR STEP.

APPLICATION EILBD SEPT. 13, 1911.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912. I

a SHEETS-SHEET 1 Z O M u w 8 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPII CUWWASHINDTUN. IL C.

W. J. OLIVER.

GAR STEP.

APPLICATION FILED SBPT.13, 1911.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912;

.3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. J. OLIVER. GAR STEP.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13, 1911.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Jazz??? WILLIAM J. OLIVER, OF ERLANGER, KENTUCKY.

GAR-STEP.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 26, 1912 Applicationfiled September 13, 1911. Serial No. 649,014.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. OLIVER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Erlanger, in the county of Kenton and State of Kentucky,have invented new and useful Improvements in Car- Steps, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to steps and more particularly to car steps.

The object of the invention is to provide simple and efficient means forextending the steps so that passengers may readily get to the platformof the car and alight from the same without having to step so high. Withthe present type of day and Pullman coaches, it is necessary for theporter to place an additional step or stool upon the platform for thepassengers to step on in alighting from the car and in traction cars forstreet railways service the steps have to be made comparatively high andwell within the bounds of the car itself to prevent interference withtraflic.

It is the object of this invention to provide a simple device by whichthese difficulties may be overcome and also a device which may beoperated to extend the steps to accommodate the same to dilferent levelsof platforms, the degree of this adjustment being controlled only by thelimit of necessity.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an expansible stepmechanism having means for controlling the degree of extension and atthe same time providing a rigid support for each stepwhen extended bylimiting the movement of the upper extensible step and then limitingthemovement of the lower steps upon the succeeding upper one, so that whena great number of steps are extended a series of limiting stops isprovided, one upon each step supporting member, thereby permitting theextension of one or more of the steps and providing a secure stop foreach.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the following specificdescription is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, whichform a cation, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation showing thesteps in extended position in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a vertical frontelevation. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig.2. Fig. 4 is a similar View on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is asectional part of this applibroken away, of a further modification.

Fig. 9' is a diagrammatic perspective view' showing the application ofthe device to an ordinary summer car.

, Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 represents a platformof an ordinary day coach which has the steps 2 extending from oppositesides thereof. These steps are connected together adjacent their lowerportion by brace rods 3 and have secured to their strings and inclinedtherewith the bearing plates 4 to which are attached the channel lines5. Slidably mounted in each channel line and working over the plates 4are bars 6 which are notched, as shown at 7, throughout a portionoftheir length so as to provide limiting shoulders 8 for engagement withthe stop 9 which is passed through a channel line and through a wearplate. The bars 6 are turned inwardly, as shown at 10 and 11, on theirinner sides so as to form a channel 21 and a limiting shoulder 13, andslidably mounted in each channel is a bar 14 having a projection 15formed thereon to engage the shoulder 13. The bars 6 and 14 are turnedinwardly at their ends so as to support the extension treads 16 and 17,the latter having connected to it an operating rod 18 which slides in achannel member 19, preferably secured to a false string 20 arrangedintermediate the width of the steps' This channel member' 19 is slottedso as to permit the projectionof a pivoting lug 21 carried by the rod18.

Journaled in the brace bars 3 is a crank shaft 22 to which a crank 23 issecured, this crank being connected by means of a link '24 to thepivoting lug 21. The outer end of the crank shaft 22 has secured theretoa lever 25 which operates within a notched segment 26 secured to one ofthe strings and adapted to hold the lever in adjusted position, therebylimiting the movement of the lower extension tread, as will hereinafterpointed out.

In the normal position of the extension treads l6 and 17 they arecollapsed beneath the lower tread of the steps 2 and if the level of theplatform upon which landing is made is sufiicientlyhigh to only requirethe extension of one step the lever 25 is moved downwardly to theintermediate notch on the segment 26. This will force the lower tread 17to its intermediate position, the upper tread 16 following therewith bygravity until a shoulder 8 comes into contact with the stop 9. In thisposition the tread 17 is folded beneath the tread 16, as is usual. Afurther downward movement of the lever forces the tread 1'7 outwardlyuntil the lever comes into contact with the end of the segment whichlimits its downward movement and also the outward movement of the tread17. In this position the steps are extended to their fullest openposition, the tread 16 being limited by the stop 9 and the tread 17being limited by the engagement of the projection 15 wit-h the stop 13upon the bars 6.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6, the crank shaft 22 has securedthereto a crank 28 which is connected by means of a link 29 to theoperating lever 30 pivoted upon the string 4. This operating leveroperates over the notched segment 31, as is usual, and when thrown toextension the steps pull upon the link 29 which through the crank 28 andthe shaft 22 actuates the crank 23 and through the link 24 theprojecting rod 18. By this means a short lever can be used and frictionleverage obtained to raise the steps. In this form, as in Fig. 5, thetreads 16 and 17 are limited in the same manner in the outward movement.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 7, the crank 28 extends downwardlyand is provided with a pivot stud 32 which engages a slot 33 in thelower end of an operating lever 34 pivoted to the platform and operatingover the segment 35 in position to be manipulated by the motorman orconductor.

In the modification shown in Fig. 8, the side bars of the extensionsteps are mounted in ways 36 which are somewhat wider than the side barsso as to permit lateral movement therein and the bars are provided withnotches 37 which engage pins 38 projecting outwardly from the strings ofthe steps The bars of the upper extension tread 16 are formed in asimilar manner to that described in Figs. 1 to 5 and the bars of theextension tread 17 are slidably mounted therein and are limited in amanner similar to that before described. In order to prevent the outerbars shaking out of engagement with the pins 38, small eccentrics 39 aresecured upon the transverse shaft 40 and are adapted to engage the barsthrough the ways to hold them in position, a weighted lever 41 beingattached to the shaft to hold the eccentrics in operative position.

In the form shown in Fig. 9, the platform has extending diagonallytherefrom a plurality of guideways 42 in which supporting bars 43,similar to 18, are slidably mounted. These ways are connected preferablyto the ordinary side step of the traction car and the extension step 44which is attached to the projecting bars 43 folds beneath this step asdoes the extenslon tread. 16. All of the projecting bars are operated.through a shaft 45 and the cranks 46 and links 47 which are connected tothe projecting bars. The shaft 45 is rotated in either direction by alever 48 which connects with the shaft and the projecting bars throughthe crank 49 which is connected to the slotted end 50 of the lever 48,as was described for the structure shown in Fig. 7 In this manner thestep 44, which extends the entire length of the car and is parallel onthe ordinary step, may be readily raised. and lowered so that passengerswill not have to make such a high step in getting on the car oralighting therefrom and so that the step will be out of the way and willthereby be out of the way of street traflic.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is 1. Incombination, a flight of steps, guide members secured to and inclinedwith the strings thereof, supporting members slidably mounted in theguide members, means to limit the movement of the supporting members, anextension tread carried by said supporting members, secondary supportingmembers slidably mounted in the first supporting members, coacting meanson the first and secondary supporting members, a tread carried by saidsecondary supporting members, and means for raising and lowering saidtreads.

2. In combination, a flight of stairs. guiding members secured to andinclined with the strings thereof, channel supporting members slidablymounted in said guide mem bers and having notches therein, means toengage the notches and to limit the movement of said supporting members,supporting bars slidably mounted in the channel supporting members,coacting means on the bars and supporting members for limiting themovement of the bars, treads carried by the supporting members and bars,a projecting member connected to one of the treads. means for slidablysupporting the projecting member, and lever operated mechanism forraising and lowering said projecting member.

3. In combination, a flight of stairs, guiding members secured to andinclined with the strings thereof, channel supporting members slidablymounted in said guide members and having notches therein, means toengage the notches and to limit the movement of said supporting members,supporting bars slidably mounted in the channel supporting members,coacting means on the bars and supporting members for limiting themovement of the bars, treads carried by the supporting members and bars,a projecting member connected to one of the treads, In testimony whereofI afiix my signature means fogslidably suppgrting the projectin presenceof tWO WitIIGSSBS.

in mem er, a crank sha t connected to said przjecting member, a segment,and a lever WILLIAM OLIVER operating over the segment for rotating\Vitnesses:

the crank shaft in either direction for raisv H. S. DIXON,

ing and lowering said treads. WILBUR KELLY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

